Like so many of his brothers and sisters, Bryan Zollner came from a firefighting family. His grandfather was a Detroit firefighter, while his father served as chief of the Oroville Fire Department. Bryan carried the tradition forward nobly, serving a variety of functions within what was then the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In 1998, Bryan's devotion to duty was recognized with a Medal of Valor when he broke through the back window of a home and, without breathing apparatus, rescued a small child from a burning home. Bryan Zollner's service was cut tragically short by an on-duty vehicle accident.